Why Is Grant Holloway Called the ‘Flamingo’?

Published 02/29/2024, 6:35 AM EST

For hurdle racers in the US, the name Grant Holloway commands a respect that only a lucky few can hope for in their lives. Thanks to an illustrious career on the track, Halloway has achieved an elite status that could well go down in history. However, things could have turned out very differently if he hadn’t made a pivotal decision early in his life.

For most athletes worldwide, representing their countries in the Olympic Games is the highest honor they can achieve. And it was this very dream that coerced the three-time World Championships gold medalist Grant Holloway to turn down the prospects of becoming a football superstar and find his solace in track and field events. And the decision proved to be a boon in the most stellar way possible. He also has an apt moniker ascribed to him, worthy of his stature that amplifies his track reverence.

Turned away from football to be named the Flamingo

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Grant Holloway proved himself to be a decent wide receiver during his time at Grassfield High School in Chesapeake, Virginia. His prowess captured the attention of some of the country’s finest football programs and the University of Georgia saw a highly potential career in Holloway. However, his ambition to become an Olympian was too strong, and this propelled him to opt for another even more successful program for college: the Florida Gators’ track and field.

In Gainesville, Grant started his athletics journey under the tutelage of a distant relative, Mike Holloway. Grant made his debut on the track in a grand fashion as he swept away his opponents in both the 60m and 110m hurdles events. Coming in fourth at the USATF Outdoor Championships as a 19-year-old was the first hint that Holloway would one day boast the indoor world record (7.27 seconds) in the 60m hurdles.

In 2019, Holloway was given a close chase by the Olympian Omar Mcleod, but his gold medal in the 110m hurdles race. Despite a tough competition between the two, the meet sparked off a long-lasting friendship that would push both athletes to become better with every race. And it was McLeod, who made Holloway an iconic figure of the sport after dubbing him “The Flamingo”.

Who gave Grant Holloway this name? A friend or a rival or both?

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While many speculate that the name “The Flamingo” is a nod toward Holloway’s pink Adidas shorts, it isn’t the actual origin story for one of track and field’s greatest nicknames. McLeod and Holloway’s chemistry is defined by a sort of friendly banter where both the stars continue to be the other’s biggest cheerleader. After finding a resemblance between Omar and a musician, Holloway started calling the former Mr. Silk. After some thought, McLeod had to retort in his own way and came up with “The Flamingo” as his final option to name his American comrade.

“I call him Mr. Silk…He calls me Flamingo.”, mentioned Holloway in an interview with NBC Sports later. While Omar’s hamstring injury put him out of the competition at the 2019 Doha World Championships, he took the loss with a sporting mentality and instead hailed his opponent rather than being sore about it.

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The Indoor World Championships at Glasgow are just a day away and the world can’t wait to see if Holloway still has the same hunger for another Olympic podium finish after his silver medal-hauling race at the 2020 Tokyo Games.

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Written by:

Diptarko Paul is a senior Olympic Sports Correspondent at EssentiallySports. This state-level swimmer decided to dive deep into the world of Olympics. From writing various aspects of swimming to diving deep in the world of NCAA division 1 Volleyball, Diptarko covers it all.

Edited by:

Himanshu Sridhar

Why Is Grant Holloway Called the ‘Flamingo’?

Turned away from football to be named the Flamingo

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Who gave Grant Holloway this name? A friend or a rival or both?